PC Crashing while playing WoW

T

Twisteddso

New Member
Hi

MY PC keeps crashing! or rather it did ...

Recently, my PC started to crash mid-game while playing World of Warcraft. I've been playing this game for 2 years and it crashed for the first time about 5 days ago. or when i say crashed the screen just froze, i was able to move my mouse and cursor but i wasn't able to do anything else, for example go to my desktop screen.

So anyhow, this happened more and more regularly until it got to the stage 5 days ago where my PC just won't boot up now. All i get is a 'screen' of a grid-like pattern and nothing happens.

OK, my PC was made for me and is about 3 years old. Sometimes on start up i get a message 'overclocking failed' (or something) this has happened intermittently over the years but recently since WoW started crashing it always came up and had to boot up using F2 (i think).

OK, so normally i would now format my PC and re-install my system. However, i can't even get to my start-up screen (desktop) as my PC won't boot up (see above) and also, the people that made my PC (elite systems, who now dont exist)) didn;t supply me with a copy of Windows XP (although it came pre-installed) so i can't re-install my system anyhow? (unless i brought a CD veriosn of XP)?

Anyhow, please can somebody help me out!!!

Thank you in advance...

edit: i did manage to get an error report when my PC worked which referred to 2 files - one of these (or maybe both) referred to a Wow game file...
 
Last edited:
Now i don't know if i'm correct in assuming this, but i've heard of computer companies overclocking their pc's and selling them to unassuming customers. These overclocked pc's may or may not be stable. Obviously as a result problems arise later on down the road. It is possible that years of an unstable overclock has killed one or more components in your pc, most likely the cpu. Now i may be jumping the gun but it is a possibility.. To clarify one thing.. Are you able to get to the bios or is the system simply not posting?
 
HI hermes

I was prevously able to get to the bios window, in fact recently i had to go through that way just for the system to proceed to start up desktop.

However, now i am not even able to get to the bios window... all i am greeted with when i try top boot up is a grid-like screen with a flahsing cursor in top left hand corner - but my system is completely disabled.

The overclocking thing.. that's worrying but i think you are correct. i sometimes (and now always until break-down) get an 'overclocking ' failed message. the PC however went on to work regardless of whether i got this message (i.e sometimes 'overclocking failed' and sometimes PC just booted up normally)
 
Do you hear any beeps or noises coming from you comp? When you boot up does it go straight to the grid, nothing in between?
 
Last edited:
hmm... I've come across something stating the ram may be the problem(?)..

For now do you remember the name of your bios and how may beeps you hear? be specific with the beeps.. i.e 1 beep two short beeps, etc.
 
hmm no idea what the name of the bios is...

also i think that there was just one short beep.. i will check this when i get home from work though

i've also had this advice...

'does it beep?
can you get into the bios?
do you get a display at all? IE when if first stars up?
Press the num lock and caps lock keys and do the lights on the keyboard go on and off?
If the lights respond then they basic system is working which would point ot a s/w or video problem.
If you can get int the bios or get a dsiplay when it first starts if could be s/w. If you don't get any display but the keyboard lights respond then I would check the video card / try a different one.
Also worth taking the battery off the main board and / or clearing the CMOS if there is a jumper as it m,ay just have got confused and corrupted'

my response

It does make the whirring sound and i do get a beep and then straight to 'grid' screen. From that point i can do nothing and can;t get into the bios screen.
i will check keyboard, but when i trun pc on and it 'starts up' the keyboard does flash...

OK, will check with anhother vid card (i have an old one from my prveiously defunct system

CMOS? (compuer main operating system?)
 
well one beep could mean a vid card problem.. or it could mean everythings a-ok.(lol) try a different card if you can and see if that's the problem. if it is the problem first thing you should do remove the overclock.. unless you pulled the battery which should have done it for you. :)
 
Dont know about the video but the boot problem could be a dead cmos battery, and 1 beep on boot means everything is ok!
 
huh.. well i guess i possibly threw it way outta proportion..

oh and cmos = Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor, pulled straight from the wikipedia! it houses your bios settings and maybe some other stuff i don't know about.
 
much appreciated guys
will check when i get home and update you!



by the way - why is my card 'overclocked'?? and is this a good or bad thing??

i'm assuming this makes my system perform 'better' but with stability issues
 
Hi Twisteddso, just to make it clear have you tried clearing the CMOS if you haven't i would give it a try. Just in case you don't know how, an easy way to do this is by taking out the CMOS battery on your motherboard for about one minute and then putting it back in. This is what the CMOS battery should look like.
cmos+battery.gif


If you still need help just a quick google search on "clearing CMOS"
 
So anyhow, i tried taking the battery out last night ans it didn;t change anything
However, looking at your link it suggests that i take the battery out for 20-30 minutes and then put it back in (all while PC is turned off) and then start-up.

This i think (if it works) will get me to the BIOS window ... where i have to set some settings....?
 
Twisteddso, because your PC may be overclocked and you have been playing a high on demand game such as WoW your computer has probably blown the CPU. Overclocked computers run at a higher voltage and they need better cooling. Your pc is probably running with standard cooling not matched up with your overclocked cpu speed
 
Your computer is trying to tell you something. It's trying to save you. :D

A similar problem happened to me a few months ago with BF2, but the problem seemed to fix itself after a while.
 
Actually Orteganator you may well be right there!
i've played nearly '100 days' on World of Warcraft over the last 2 years that's 2,400 hours!!!!

adz - but why would it happen now? after 3 years of playing?
or actually WoW expansion came out recently so maybe that is a little harder on my system? just enough to send it over the edge - but up until a couple of weeks ago, never got a problem playing WoW.

I bascially think you're saying my PC is knackered?
maybe it's time i bought a new one... :confused: :(

thing is i tried an older graphics card, and the PC although i got a beep, it didn;t fire up and i was greeted by a black screen...
 
Twisteddso said:
Actually Orteganator you may well be right there!
i've played nearly '100 days' on World of Warcraft over the last 2 years that's 2,400 hours!!!!

adz - but why would it happen now? after 3 years of playing?
or actually WoW expansion came out recently so maybe that is a little harder on my system? just enough to send it over the edge - but up until a couple of weeks ago, never got a problem playing WoW.

I bascially think you're saying my PC is knackered?
maybe it's time i bought a new one... :confused: :(

thing is i tried an older graphics card, and the PC although i got a beep, it didn;t fire up and i was greeted by a black screen...
Click to expand...

I think it may have jut affected you know, because your pc could have hacked all the processes, but now it cant take it....especially with a expansion pack.

I would not think you need a total new pc, probably just some new components...ie an upgrade.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top